Baseball's best from first week

Hideki Matsui and the Angels celebrate Matsui's RBI single that gave the Angels a win on Saturday night, but that's only one slice of the drama served up in week one of the MLB season. Click on the photo for the best performers and performances from the first week of the season.PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Game-winning hits, dominant pitching performances and memorable debuts made the first week of the baseball season a good one.

While things weren't going great for the Angels, Hideki Matsui helped make things a little brighter by starting off the season hot. Around the league, plenty of other stars and newcomers set the stage for an exciting 2010 season.

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Hideki Matsui and the Angels celebrate Matsui's RBI single that gave the Angels a win on Saturday night, but that's only one slice of the drama served up in week one of the MLB season. Click on the photo for the best performers and performances from the first week of the season. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
It didn't take long for the play of the year to be made. Mark Buehrle went all long snapper on the Celeveland Indians on Opening Day, flipping the ball back between his legs to get the runner on first. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
He's old and he's got bad knees. His best years are probably behing him. But no one has told Hideki Matsui any of that. He homered on Opening Night and came through with a walk-off hit to beat the A's on Saturday night. Through the first week, Matsui is hitting .370. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
So much for not being able to handle the big stage. New York's Curtis Granderson had a great first week as a Yankee. One of his two homers was a walkoff to beat Boston, he's 8-for-23 overall and he's swiped three bases. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Remember Vernon Wells? Neither do I. I'm kidding, but it seems like Wells hasn't been playing good ball since 2003. Well, he's homered four times already this season, helping the Blue Jays get off to a 5-1 start. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Just like Billy Beane and Naughty by Nature, Atlanta's Martin Prado is also down with OBP. In six games this season, Prado's been on base over 60 percent of the time. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Oakland and second baseman Mark Ellis have flipped the A.L. West upside down. The A's -- thought to be the worst team in the division -- have gotten off to a 5-2 start, taking the early lead in the West. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Those silly Braves fans; they got things all mixed up on Opening Day. They gave rookie Jason Heyward a standing ovation BEFORE he even swung the bat for the first time. It's cool, though. J-Hey kept them standing, belting a 3-run shot in his first big-league at bat. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez has been absolutely dealing in his two starts for the Rockies. He's struck out 13 in two dominant starts, and he's very close to being one of the best pitchers in the National League. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
When Minnesota closer Joe Nathan went down with a serios elbow injury, a lot of people wrote off the Twins. But if there's one thing the boys in the Twin Cities can do, it's overcome injury. Eneter Jon Rauch (right), the 6-foot-11 pitcher. Rauch is 4-for-4 in save chances. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The move to the National League certainly hasn't hurt Roy Halladay (not that anyone thought facing pitchers in the No. 9 spot would be tough). Hallday's been excellent in his first two starts with the Phillies, picking up 17 strikeouts. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Week one ended in the most dramatic fashion, with Trevor Hoffman giving up back-to-back homers to Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, tying the game at 7. But Milwaukee's Casey McGehee (left) shocked the Cards in the bottom of the ninth by hitting a game-winning home run. PBOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; TEXT BY DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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